Method of block printing surface coverings



H. S. HUMPHREYS METHOD OF BLOCK PRINTING SURFACE COVERINGS Filed Dec. 6, 1949 May 27, 1952 2 SHEETS-SHEET l game/MM HARRY HUMPHREYS Ada-H I abto'mw May 27, 1952 Filed Dec. 6, 1949 H. S. HUMPHREYS METHOD OF BLOCK PRINTING SURFACE COVERINGS 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 7 n ufl Hun n HHH 0 I5 15 a o u D nfl nnflnnh T0 $TOVE' 5 6 7 I '7 no u :5 a: :5 FA :5

gvwc wto'o HARRY S. HUMPHREYS Patented May 27, 1952 UNITED STATES OFFICE METHOD OF BLOCK PRINTING SUR- FACE COVER-INGS Application December 6, 1949, SerialNo. 131,300

'7 Claims.

This invention relates to a method of blockprinting surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs. Early colonial homes, particularly in New England, were frequently provided with decorative floors obtained by coating the floor boards with paint of a base color and spattering the base color with one or a number of differently colored paints. The spatter colors were applied by dipping a brush into the paint to be spattered and tapping the brush on a small piece of wood to project drops of the paint onto the base coat. The drops spattered upon falling onto the base and were of irregular size and shape. In some instances, the background was of a multicolor, obtained by applying a base color paint, permitting it to dry, and then applying a graining paint thereover and brushing or combing the overapplied paint to obtain a multicolored background. The spatter colors were then applied over the grained background paint subsequent to drying. In the spattering of the paints over the background, a random arrangement of the spatter colors was obtained, with some of the spattered areas lying in contiguous relationship to one another and others being spaced apart. In addition, as mentioned above, the spattered areas varied in size from areas almost imperceptible to the eye from the average height of a person walking on the floor to areas much larger. The spatter colors were characterized by their irregularity of shape and size.

In my copending application, Serial No. 100,167, filed June 20, 1949, and entitled Surface Covering and Method of Making the Same, there is disclosed a surface covering of the inlaid linoleum type in simulation of a spatter decorated floor. In the production of the cheaper hard surface floor coverings by the application of paint to a supporting backing such as waterproof felt, most common practice is to employ flat blockprinting machines in which the printing surfaces are of substantially regular geometrical outline. Such printing blocks apply a heavy layer of relatively thick paint onto the supporting layer. Due to the regular geometrical outline of the printing surface, it is not possible, following conventional practice, to secure intricate fine line designs; and the production of a product in simulation of a spatter decorated floor could not be successfully obtained following conventional practice in block-printing of surface coverings. v

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a method of block-printing surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs having the irregularly disposed and shaped spatter-representing colors, with the characterizing nongeometrical outlines.

Other objects of the invention will be apparent from a consideration of the detailed description of certain preferred embodiments of the inven tion which follow.

Generally, in the practice of the method of this invention, the spatter-representing paints in .a plurality of colors are printed onto the supporting foundation of waterproof felt or the like with flat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline. The spatter colors are of many different sizes and are disposed in random arrangement on the foundation layer. Background colored paint is printed with similar printing surfaces onto the support ing web, with the wet spatter and the background paints irregularly overlying one another at their zones of juncture and providing irregular'edges of substantially nongeometrical outline on the randomly arranged spatter-representing areas. The spatter colors are preferably applied to the foundation first and the background color or colors applied subsequently, with the background and spatter paints overlapping at the zones of juncture. The background paint may be applied first, however, and the spatter color paints applied thereover with overlapping juncture lines, or one or more of the spatter-color paints may be applied prior to the background paint and another or others afterwards. In order to enhance the natural spatter efiect, some of the spatter colors should lie in contiguous relationship to one another and'in overlapping relationship at their zones of juncture and others should be separated from adjacent spatter colors by the background paint. 7

Certain preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the attached drawings in which:

Figures 1A. and 1B are diagrammatic views illustrating a series of printing steps in the practice of the process;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of a small portion of a flat printing block illustrating a portion cut in design and a portion uncut;

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic view of'a flat blockprinting machine, and

Figures i and 5 are diagrammatic plan views of block-printed surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs produced by two modifications of the invention.

,Referring first to Figure 3, there is shown diagrammatically a fiat block-printing machine includinga bed 2 over which a supporting foundation 3 of waterproof felt or the like is intermittently fed from a roll 4. The machine is provided with printing blocks to H which are spaced apart a distance equivalent to the width of the printing surfaces of the blocks so that upon a uniform intermittent movement of the foundation layer;3" corresponding tothe width ofthe printing surface, the printed areas will besequentially brought into proper registry under the printing blocks. The printed material is shown. lo.

as being delivered from the printing machine. to a stove or other drying chamber where the paint applied by the printing blocks is dried.

Referring to Figures 1A and 1B which show a very small portion of surface covering-commencial practice is to produce such coverings in widths from 6 feet to 12 feet and of indefinite length-spatter-co1or paint which has been shown as a yellow color is applied by the printing block 5. It will be observed that the yellowcolored spatter areas l2 are of substantially regular geometrical outline, although there has been some flow of the heavy paint on the foundation layer 3. The regular geometrical outline of the printed areas 12 results from the use of a sawne type fiat printing block. While these blocks are conventional in the floor covering industry, a portion Mom has been shown in Figure 2. The major portion of this. block has been shown as out, ready for printing, but a small portion in the lower right-hand. corner has been shown as supplied to. the block cutter for preparation of the printing surface. The block isformed of laminated' woodand has aprinting surface 13 whichis'provided'with spaced: upstanding printing sur isemployed in the floor covering industry; and, when applied to the printing surface It with the conventional paint troughand roller arrangement and the printing surface brought into engagement withthe foundation to be printed, the applied paint, 12 has a substantially regular geometrical shape or outlineas; noted in Figure 15.

Referring again to Figures 1A, 1B, and 3, the foundation material 3 with the applied yellow spatter areas I2 is moved to bring the portion printed by theblock 5 into registry withthe block 6 which applies red spatter-color paint onto the backing: in the areas it. It will be observed that some of the red spatters it are inrcontiguous relationship to yellow spatters [2. The operation is repeated and block 1 applies blue-colored paint inspatters l1, block 8 applies green-colored spatters l8, block 9 black spatters t9, and block l0 grey spatters 20. Light lines have been shown between the various sections in Figures 1A and 1 13,, but; these, of course, would not appear in the prin ed. product.

Block; H: app s a back round. color. The block II is so cut that its printing surface overlaps, slightly at least, the spatter-color; areas.

A.h avybodied pa nt is used as the a k r und. paint, and when t is app ied ther iean irregular.-

It will be observed tha intermingling of the background and spatter paints at the zone of juncture between the background and the spatter colors where they overlap. The background color being applied over the spatter colors tends to flow slightly thereover to produce generally convex lines of juncture as indicated at 212-, and this ;results in; the provision of correspondingly concave-lines-on the spatters which give them relatively sharp points as indicated at 23. This heightens the effect, for when paintsare spattered, many of the spattered areas have. sharp but fine projecting portions. When the product is viewed from eye level by a person standingionthe floor, the eliect is a close simulation ofa spatter design floor made by spattering paints on-abackground color. The random arrangement, the ,difierence in size, and the irregular shape of the spatters all contribute to the attainment of the desired effect.

While it is preferred to have the spatter colors appliedfirst, some or all; of themmaybe; applied over the background color. When this practice is followed, theblocl; for printing-the background color will be out so asto leave open, uncovered areas on the foundation, into which the spatter colors maybe inserted by subsequent printing blocks. These spatter colors willbe printed so as to overlie the background color at the zones, of juncture to providev the irregular juncture; lines. This will not produce-the;sharpprojecting points which appear in; the productproducedin acoord-. ance with the preferred practice. The-productproduced by this modified proeedureis shown n Figure d. where. the spatter colors 24 are applied? over the background color 25.

A. ur her mod ficat on. of. he. m t d. may e employed to pro uc a produ tuch. a hewn. F uren th a e, he: atter color 26 were applied first and. the background colors 2 and 28-were;appliedthereover-inta manner-to simulate the multicolored background referred. to. above, and additional spatter colors 29' were applied after thebackgroundcolors. This pro,- duces a unique-effect inthat, some of thespatterareas have sharp points, such, as. the areas 25-, and others 29. are irregularly shaped but; not. pointed, In spattering, some of the spatters will naturally have an irregular shape without pointed projections, while others will; have such projections. This, effect is obtained by printing; the background paint after some of; the; spatter paints have been applied, and applying one. or more spatter-color paints: after the background paint has-been applied.

Each ofthe colors is applied while the-others are wet; and as a resultthecolors tend to level; and upon stoving provide a smooth hard surface covering Which will maintainv its design throughout the entire thickness of the wear layer;

By this invention, it is possible to produce on conventional fiat b1ocl -printing machines surface coverings in simulation of spatter designswith the usual heavy-bodieolv printing paints which, provide an adequate wearing surface for floor covering and other uses.

I claim:

1-. In a method ofblock-print-ingsurface co e n s; in m la ion patter des ns. with flat pr n n ocks hav n printin surfaces. Q

su stantial y re 111 ometr cal outline. the

steps comprising printing upon, a supporting web spattercolor-representing; paint of one color in random arrangement with a flat printing block. having prin n su faces of: ubstantially re u lar geometrical outline, printing upon said Web with a similar printing surface spatter-colorrepresenting paint of another color with some only of said second printed portions overlapping the edges of some only of said first printed portions to provide a plurality of spatter-color-representing areas of each color disposed in spaced relationship on the backing and other spattercolor-representing areas in edge-overlapping relationship on the backing, and printing background paint with similar printing surfaces upon said web with the wet spatter-color representing and background paints irregularly overlying one another at their zones of juncture and providing irregular edges of substantially nongeometrlcal outline on substantially all of the randomly arranged spatter-color-representing areas.

2. In a method of block-printing surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs with fiat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, the steps comprising printing background paint upon a supporting web with printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline to provide a layer of paint on the web provided with spaced unprinted areas extending from the upper surface of the printed layer toward the supporting web disposed in random arrangement, and while the background paint is wet, printing a spattercolor-representing paint of one color with similar printing surfaces onto the supporting web in a portion of said unprinted areas, printing upon said web in another portion of said unprinted'areas with a similar printing surface spatter-color-representing paint of another color with some only of said second printed portions overlapping the edges of some only of said first printed portions to provide a plurality of spattercolor-representing areas of each color disposed in spaced relationship on the backing and other spatter-color-representing areas in edge-overlapping relationship on the backing, with the spatter-color representing paints irregularly overlying the background paints at the zones of juncture between the two and providing irregular edges of substantially nongeometrical outline on substantially all of the randomly arranged spatter-representing areas.

3. In a method of block-printing surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs with fiat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, the steps comprising printing a spatter-color-representing paint of one color in random arrangement upon spaced areas of a supporting web with flat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, printing upon said web with a similar printing surface spatter-color-representing paint of another color with some only of said second printed portions overlapping the edges of some only of said first printed portions to provide a plurality of spatter-color-representing areas of each color disposed in spaced relationship on the backing and other spatter-color-representing areas in edge-overlapping relationship on the backing, and, while the spatter-color-representing paints are wet, printing background paint with similar printing surfaces onto the supporting web in the unprinted areas and over the marginal edges of the spatter-color-representing paints, with the overlying edges of the background paint in a substantial portion at least thereof being of generally irregular convex spatter-color areas.

4. In a method of block-printing surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs with fiat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, the steps comprising printing upon a supporting web spatter-color-representing paint of one color in random arrangement with a flat printing block having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, printing upon said web with a similar printing surface spatter-color-representing paint of another color with some only of said second printed portions overlapping the edges of some only of said first printed portions to provide a plurality of spatter-color-representing areas of each color disposed in spaced relationship on the backing and other spattercolor-representing areas in edge-overlapping relationship on the backing, printing background paint with similar printing surfaces onto. the supporting web with spaced unprinted areas extending from the upper surface of the printed layer toward the supporting web disposed in random arrangement, and printing spattercolor-representing paints of additional colors with similar printing surfaces onto the supporting web in said unprinted areas with the wet spatter-color-representing paints last applied overlying the wet background paint and with the wet background paint overlying the wet spattercolor-representing' paints first applied at the zones of juncture between the background paint and the spatter-color-representing paints to provide irregular edges of substantially nongeometrical outline on substantially all of the randomly arranged spatter-representing areas.

5. In a method of block-printing surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs with flat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, the steps comprising printing upon a supporting web spater-color-representing paint of one color in random arrangement, printing upon said web spatter-color-representing paint of another color with some only of said second printed portions lying in contiguous relationship with some only of said first printed portions and with others in spaced relationship, said paints being applied with flat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, and printing background paint with similar printing surfaces onto the supporting web, with the wet spatter and background paints irregularly overlying one another at their zones of juncture and providing irregular edges of substantially nongeometrical outline on substantially all of the randomly arranged spatter-representing areas.

6. In a method of block-printing surface coverings in simulation of spatter designs with flat printing blocks having printing surfaces of substantially regular geometrical outline, the steps comprising printing upon a supporting web spatter-color-representing paints in a plurality of colors in random arrangement with some of the areas of the spatter-color-representing paint being larger than others and with some only of the wet spatter-color paints irregularly overlying one another at their zones of juncture only, to provide a plurality of spatter-color-representing areas of each color disposed in spaced relationship on the backing and other spattercolor-representing areas in edge-overlapping reproiiqixigg ir'negiiir ly sm tiped' edgs 'Qf1 substslm tila . m 'q f ub t nfi w i af r ma a 1 mm w il df w wet? 1 1mm upgn id" web with similar 'printing s uifape',

spattrcolpx -i eprggntng paint (if ariqthefcblfir wit-11' sbn gq. only -oi. Isa-id second printed por tib ns qvqi'lgppihg the. edgesl of some only 6i said first priptqppytionsto ,provide aplurlity of spattercolcg-i emxeiseimhggg areas} Q11 each c6101 "disposed labfiingrl' 7 m m l icd b d b k r mfl h H r n ufi s Q h u riq t ng. 'ks f the spafizg-colbrqpfiesnting' p a, i n t s are (E31, thg said sp'ajtr-cblo r and b ackgroundpeiihts it'- regulwily overlying onqa ndfihe iat their 2611335 Offjui'gQfill liQ and providing irregulafd ge's'fdf substantially nongeometl ic al dutli'n' 'n 's'ubstant aially a'llioi th rafidqmly arranged spattefrepre seniging'ar ea s. 4' HARRY s. HUMPHREYS.

CES CITED 

